Queens Gazette

The Oldest Temple in the Hemisphere? It’s In Queens!


Jainism is an ancient religion based on three guiding principles: belief, knowledge, andconduct. There are about 5 million practitioners in the world with the vast majority living in India, but guess what? The oldest Jain temple in the Western Hemisphere is in Queens!

Located at 43-11 Ithaca St. in Elmhurst, the four-story facility is adorned with various idols carved from crystal stone with special gemstones, marble columns, marble arches (white, black and pink), and colorful paintings. Worship rooms, a senior center, children’s space, showers, a meditation hall, and a kitchen are among the other features.

 

The Jain Center of America – New York was founded in 1965 and registered as a nonprofit in 1970, but without a brick-and-mortar venue. The group purchased the Elmhurst property in 1981. Membership grew to a point that leaders decided to demolis

Advertisement printed as a chromolithograph, late 19th century. This advertisement is a comical scene promoting the Standard Screw Fasted Company that was located on Broadway in Flushing. It’s a rare item to have in a collection since ephemeral materials like this, especially ads, were almost always discarded.

h the existing two-story building in 2001 and erect a state-of-the-art temple. Construction was completed in 2004, and the first proper religious ceremony took place there in June 2005.

The JCA – NY temple is also a center for the study of Jain art, history, literature, and tradition. The fourth floor is home to a 7.5-ton crystal replica of Ashtapad Tirth, a lost mountain that believers say is hidden near Tibet in the Himalayas. The founder of Jainism, Rishabhdeva, allegedly attained Nirvana there millions of years ago. Made of pure crystal imported from Brazil, the replica is roughly 13 feet tall and 14.5 feet wide. It has eight steps as per legend.

Derived from the Sanskrit word for “victor,” Jainism preaches non-violence, spirituality, and self-help. Its guidelines come from a succession of 24 teachers (or Tirthankars) who lived throughout eternity. (Rishabhdeva was the first.) Believers are strict vegetarians, and monks wear masks and sweep the ground to avoid killing bugs.

Currently, an estimated 7,000 Jains live in Queens, primarily in Rego Park and Flushing. Just like Hinduism, Jainism’s growth in the U.S. is directly related to the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965, which opened the door for Indians. In the 1960s, the first Jains in NYC worshipped informally at various Manhattan facilities, such as Columbia University and the General Consulate of India.

There is much more going on at QHS, such as the 23rd Annual Art & History Contest, and Free Weekly Digital Workshops on the Census, historic games, Native American archaeology, the Underground Railroad, and the Korea Art Forum. For information, visit Queenshistoricalsociety.org.

 

 

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